The overall activities of the Midwest AViDD Center are organized into two specific aims.
The first aim is dedicated to research and development, where our five Projects and five Cores leverage a combination of established and innovative approaches to develop novel, high potency, and orally available inhibitors of essential viral proteins required for the pathogenesis of SARS2 and other viruses with pandemic potential.
The second aim is dedicated to interdisciplinary training, education, and outreach. Interdisciplinary training is vital for addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Education and outreach are also essential to achieve immediate and long-term impacts. Major deliverables will be novel antiviral lead compounds for further development by industry partners and, equally important, a well-trained group of antiviral researchers including next-generation experts and leaders. Both deliverables will hopefully contribute to ending the current pandemic and becoming better prepared for future viral outbreaks and stopping them before reaching pandemic levels.